The Public Relations Blog

Learn how you, too, can use PR to grow your business

In business, growth is the name of the game. Many small- and medium-sized companies look to large corporations to see how it’s done. Knowing this, you may be curious about how much large, billion-dollar global corporations invest in public relations.

Big companies invest heavily in PR firms, typically $250,000 to $25 million annually – often less than one percent of revenue – to achieve big results. Even if you don’t have that kind of revenue (yet), you can still take maximum advantage of smart public relations, if you know how.

When you compare cost to results, you will always come out ahead

As a medium-sized company, you have more resources than a small business, but can still maintain a level of flexibility not present in large corporations. Although you have more money to work with, you still need to ensure that you spend it wisely. So, are you spending enough on public relations?

This is one story about PR and small businesses. Read How small companies do PR and what big companies can learn from them, 5 Things big companies know about PR that small businesses can learn from them, PR firms should avoid startups, and Why small businesses struggle with PR firms for more.

When you combine smart spending with strategic planning, your company wins

In 1971, two teachers and a writer in Seattle opened a shop to sell coffee, teas and spices for customers to take home and brew on their own. That was the birth of Starbucks. Facebook began in a dorm room and was only meant to be a method of communicating between Harvard University students. Every business starts small, but thinking big can bring you incredible success. Sometimes, all it takes is the right mix of bold courage, hard work and good public relations.

When it comes to your growth and success, invest wisely

You have decided that your company needs the services of a public relations firm. Perhaps you already have in-house staff that could use an extra hand to get more done. Maybe you are looking to invest more resources and time in your company’s PR efforts for increased visibility and results, and you have determined that a PR agency is your best option. Whatever the reason, you first need to know how much hiring a PR firm will cost.

Learn how company culture can increase productivity and profitability

The Emmy-winning CBS network reality series Undercover Boss is one of the most popular shows on television. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a program where CEOs of medium and large corporations go in disguise as low-level employees at their own companies to find what’s really going on in their businesses. Along the way, they meet and are touched by the real employees who are helping (or sometimes not helping) the companies stay successful.

What you need to know before planning your next PR campaign

In public relations, we talk a lot about strategic plans and the advantages of various campaigns. However, very little is said about what a successful campaign actually looks like, how you measure its success and the benefits you can achieve.

Use PR to ensure your image remains intact

Ben Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” Just look at some Google searches as proof. It seems the worst news always rises to the top. When it comes to online reputation, the stakes are high.

PR helps you understand this powerful network and get it right

You post to Facebook at least five times a week, send Tweets several times a day and make sure you keep your LinkedIn pages current. But how often should your company post on Instagram?

Learn about PR tools that can help you take control of your online reputation

Your business has gotten great reviews from many of your customers. Do all your customers, prospects and other key stakeholders know that? Getting great reviews is wonderful, but if no one sees them, it’s like throwing them in the trash.

You don’t want consumers to stumble upon your positive customer reviews by accident or, worse, make them search all around the Internet for them. It is vital to promote your customer reviews, especially on social media, to make them easily accessible to consumers.

PR can help you make the most of your time in the spotlight

Most companies want their messages and campaigns to go viral. After all, having millions of people discussing your brand could be a dream come true – if you manage it correctly.